


Lessons in Swimming and a Romance Beginning!

by WiiFan2009



Series: Commissions [5]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: F/M, Naegirisaba, swimming lessons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:46:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26405200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WiiFan2009/pseuds/WiiFan2009
Summary: After Kazuichi convinces Sonia to push Gundham into the pool, he almost drowns.  Embarrassed that his classmates found out he can't swim, he isolates himself from his classmates, leaving the 77th Class to ask Kyoko for help.  After her investigation, Sonia comes up with the idea for Hina to give Gundham swimming lessons to help with his embarrassment, and the Ultimate Breeder reluctantly agrees.  Will Gundham Tanaka be able to master the art of swimming under Hina's tutelage?  Or will a completley different k ind of splash be made?
Relationships: Asahina Aoi/Tanaka Gundham, Ikusaba Mukuro/Kirigiri Kyoko, Ikusaba Mukuro/Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto, Ikusaba Mukuro/Naegi Makoto, Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto, Sonia Nevermind/Tanaka Gundham
Series: Commissions [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1721317
Comments: 19
Kudos: 29





	1. Gundham Can’t Swim?!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NotFanFicNet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotFanFicNet/gifts).



> This commission was requested by NotFanFicNet. Please read and review, and enjoy!

“You’re not using your muscles properly! Your athletic body is going to waste!”

“Shut up! All I gotta do is win!”

“Hey, Nidai-senpai, Owari-senpai, no fighting in the pool! This is supposed to be a pool party!”

Nekomaru and Akane grumbled, swimming a little bit away as Hina breathed a sigh of relief. It was an extremely hot Saturday, too hot for anybody to do anything productive. Fortunately, Hina, being the Ultimate Swimmer Pro, suggested to both her own Class Representative Makoto Naegi, and Class 77’s Class Representative Chiaki Nanami that they throw a joint pool party at the swimming pool in the school. The two Class Reps easily agreed, confident that nobody would object to spending their day somewhere that was actually cool.

 _Considering the turnout, I’d say this was a good bet…_ Hina thought, smiling as she saw everyone from both classes playing in the pool.

She saw the normally stoic Ultimate Detective Kyoko Kirigiri and Ultimate Soldier Mukuro Ikusaba smiling mirthfully as the two of them were engaged in a three-way splash war with Makoto. She watched as the normally insecure Ultimate Programmer Chihiro Fujisaki laugh as he kept pace with Mondo and Sakura, the two athletic Ultimates helping him to develop some athletic talent of his own in the water. She observed with relief on her face as Nekomaru and Akane had a thankfully toned-down swimming contest, making sure to be careful of the other students.

_Operation Pool Party Success!_

…Except that there was one person who hadn’t gone in the water yet; the Ultimate Breeder Gundham Tanaka simply stood by the edge, a vigilant eye kept on the pool as his four Dark Devas of Destruction sat on his shoulders.

Getting out of the pool and squeezing the water out of her flowing blond hair, the Ultimate Princess Sonia Nevermind walked up to her classmate and crush in her wetsuit, encouraging sweetly “Gundham, why don’t you come and swim with us? It’s not very fun to just stand there.”

Gundham bit his lip before shaking his head “I cannot, fair maiden. If the Supreme Overlord of Ice were to set a single toe in this pool, it and everyone currently inside would be as frozen as the tundra from which I entered this realm.”

A tense silence passed, ending only when Sonia reluctantly nodded and walked away, pouting at her failure to help Gundham have fun in the pool.

“What’s wrong, Miss Sonia?”

Sonia’s pout faded as she saw Kazuichi Soda look at her with an unusual look of concern; she sighed and apologized “My apologies, Kazuichi. I did not mean to make you worried about me. It’s just…” Sonia sighed and confessed “Gundham looks so lonely standing there and not playing in the water with us. So I tried to invite him in case he was shy, but he said that the water would freeze if he stepped inside.”

“Ah, he’s always going on about some dark magic stuff…he probably doesn’t know how to have fun.”

“Doesn’t know…how to have fun…?” Sonia wondered, contemplating the matter. _Could that be why he claims to practice dark magic and spends most of his free time with his Dark Devas and other animals?_

Kazuichi grinned and told her “You know, sometimes stubborn people need to have the fun forced on them before they can enjoy it!”

“…Forced?” Sonia asked reluctantly, not liking where this was going.

Kazuichi nodded and explained “Yep! You should totally go push him into the water!”

“Kazuichi!” An indignant Sonia chastised “That is terribly cruel to suggest!”

“Agh! I didn’t mean it like that, Miss Sonia!”

Truthfully he just wanted to play a prank on his classmate who had always creeped him out and seemed to always have the attention of the Princess that had captured his heart. But he had to go about this carefully if he wanted to have Sonia’s cooperation. He waited for Sonia to cool down before he tried to continue with his explanation.

“I just meant that maybe he needs a little push to have fun in the water…literally in this case. You want us all to have fun, right? And isn’t it a Princess’s duty to ensure the happiness of her subjects, even if the method is somewhat distasteful?”

Sonia gasped in realization before a determined expression appeared on her face as she exclaimed “You’re right! As the Ultimate Princess, it is my duty to ensure all my friends are enjoying themselves! And if pushing Gundham into the water will get him to see how fun it is, then that is what I must do!”

 _…Wow, that was easy…_ Kazuichi thought as he grinned, watching as a now sweetly smiling Sonia sauntered up to Gundham and tapped his shoulder.

“Oh, Gundham?”

“What is it, fair maiden?” Gundham asked as he turned around.

Sonia grinned cheekily as she pushed against his chest and called out “Enjoy the water!”

“WHAAAA!” Gundham panicked as his body fell into the pool, Kazuichi silently whooping as the Ultimate Breeder disappeared under the splash.

Sonia waited with bated breath, eagerly awaiting to see Gundham rise above water and start actually having fun with his classmates. Kazuichi’s grin and Sonia’s smile faded into worried frowns when Gundham didn’t rise after half a minute. That worried mood pervaded the other students, as they all stopped what they were doing and stared towards the area of the pool where Gundham lay underwater.

Her lifeguard training taking effect, Hina stood up on her lifeguard tower and skillfully dove down into the pool. Once she reached the bottom, she opened her eyes and spotted Gundham’s prone body. Swimming over, she wrapped one of her arms around his back and butterfly kicked them back to the surface. She gasped for air before swimming over to the edge where Sonia stood.

The Ultimate Princess held out her hand for Hina, who grabbed it and let Sonia pull them up and onto the tiled floor. Unwrapping her arm from Gundham’s back, she gently turned him around laid him on his back. Everyone watched with bated breath as Hina pressed her ear to Gundham’s lips. After a second, her head shot up, her eyes widened as she said three words that threw both classes into a panic.

“HE’S NOT BREATHING!”

Everyone hurried out of the water and crowded around the unconscious Ultimate Breeder and shocked Ultimate Swimming Pro. 

Sonia burst into tears as she cried out “MIKAN! MIKAN, PLEASE HELP! GUNDHAM’S NOT BREATHING!”

A minute had passed and Mikan never came; Sonia sobbed into her palms, wailing as she cried “I’M SORRY! I’M SO SORRY GUNDHAM!”

_…Alright, since Mikan can’t be here to help, I’ll have to resuscitate him myself. Alright, it’s now or never!_

With a look of determination on her face, Hina held Gundham’s head securely with one hand while pinching his nose with the other. Everyone watched with worry as she placed her lips on Gundham’s and breathed air into his lungs, following up by placing her hands on his chest and pressing down, giving him fifteen chest compressions before repeating the cycle.

Everyone sighed in relief when, on the third cycle, Gundham’s eyes opened and he shot up into a sitting position, coughing up the water he had swallowed during his drowning. Hina kneeled next to him and patted his back, helping him to cough up the remaining water.

Once his coughing fit ended, he looked around and asked “Wha…what happened…?”

It was then that a worried Chiaki and a guilt-ridden Sonia made their way through the crowd. Gundham’s eyes widened in realization as he recalled Sonia pushing him into the water.

_Gun…Gundham can’t swim…I pushed him into the water…and he couldn’t swim…I nearly killed him…because I never took into account the possibility that he couldn’t swim…_

Everyone else came to that same realization as Sonia muttered “G…Gundham…”

Seeing that Sonia was unable to force out her next words, Chiaki took the lead asking “Are you okay, Gundham? You had us all worried…”

Chiaki trailed off as Gundham glared at the two with a cold glare, Sonia cowering as he directed a scowl especially at her. Standing up, he gathered his Dark Devas from the side of the pool and ordered “Let’s go, my hamsters. I can’t stand to be around these people a moment longer.”

As they watched Gundham stride out of the pool room, Sonia realized _…He must be really mad at me if he’s calling his four Dark Devas hamsters…not that I can blame him after what I did to him…pushing him into the water, almost drowning him, exposing the fact that he couldn’t swim in front of everybody like that…_

“Miss Sonia…”

Kazuichi reached out to lay his hand on her shoulder, only for the Ultimate Princess to brush it off, sniffling “…I’d like to be alone too right now…” before walking solemnly out of the pool room, the new somber students watching as their heart went out to the distraught Princess.

XXX

*Knock Knock*

The door opened to reveal Kyoko Kirigiri, her cheeks tinted slightly pink as she took in the sight of Chiaki, Sonia, and Kazuichi.

Coughing into her hand, she asked “Is there something I can help you with, Nanami-senpai, Nevermind-senpai, Soda-senpai?”

Before anyone could say anything else, Sonia got on her knees and begged “Please, Kirigiri-san, we’re in dire need of your Detective skills!”

As Kyoko’s stepped back in shock, Kazuichi kneeled down and grabbed Sonia’s shoulders, exclaiming “Miss Sonia! There’s no need to degrade yourself by groveling before her! You’re a Princess, not to mention her senpai!”

Sonia stood up and insisted “This is important, Kazuichi! I’m more than willing to abandon my pride as a Princess if it means atoning for our mistakes!”

“Yeah, but Miss Sonia…”

As Kazuichi and Sonai continued to bicker, Chiaki looked at Kyoko apologetically, the Ultimate Detective nodding in acceptance, too used to the antics of her own unruly classmates to be truly upset by this.

“Hey Kyoko, what’s going on? I hear shouting.”

The door opened wider to reveal a slightly disheveled Makoto Naegi, purple lipstick smudges on his face. Behind him was Mukuro, smudged purple kiss marks on her cheeks as she spooned Makoto, her hands interwoven against his belly as they looked at the three senpais with a confused expression. The two bickering Ultimates suddenly ceased, Sonia bowing politely to Makoto and Mukuro, followed by Kazuichi who wanted to get back on Sonia’s good side.

After everyone was standing up straight, Kyoko informed Makoto “Our three senpais stopped by and Nevermind-senpai wished to purchase my services. An argument ensued between her and Soda-senpai before I could get more information.” As Makoto nodded in understanding, Kyoko asked “Now, what do you require my services for anyway?”

Chiaki took the lead asking “Do you remember last week when Gundham almost drowned in the pool and Asahina-san saved him?”

Kyoko nodded and recalled “Yes, wasn’t Nevermind-senpai the one who pushed him in?”

Sonia nodded glumly and admitted “Yes…not that it justifies what I did, but Kazuichi suggested it so that we could teach Gundham to have fun in the pool. We had no idea that…”

“…That Gundham couldn’t swim?” Sonia nodded guiltily, leaving Kyoko to continue “Does the incident have to do with your request?”

Chiaki nodded and explained “Ever since, he’s only come to class once. And on that single day, he would only talk if Yukizome-sensei asked him a question directly.”

Sonia interjected tearfully “And even when any of us tried to approach him when class ended, no matter who it was, he would just give us this cold stare, colder than I’ve seen even from my own Father! He won’t talk to any of us! So we…we thought that since you’re the Ultimate Detective…maybe you’d be able to find out why Gundham is giving us the…chilly shoulder…”

“Ano…Sonia…it’s cold shoulder…I think…”

Getting a sense of what they were asking her to do, Kyoko cautioned them “I’m not sure a Detective is what’s called for in this situation. Tanaka-senpai needs to talk to someone who is skilled at making friends, someone who can get even the most antisocial personalities to talk and spill their guts…” Kyoko looked to Makoto, who nervously gulped as she asked “Makoto…would you mind giving it a try?”

“M…me?!”

Mukuro hugged Makoto tightly against her body, fearful for his safety until Kyoko reassured her “It’s okay, Mukuro; Gundham won’t hurt Makoto. Besides, Makoto has quite the talent for getting the most antisocial of our classmates to open up to you and befriend you. Byakuya, Toko, and Celeste are perfect examples of his track record. Not to mention…” Kyoko blushed as she smiled at the two and admitted “You and I never would have had the opportunity to fall in love with Makoto and each other had he not been able to get us to lower our walls and open our hearts…”

“Kyoko…” Makoto and Mukuro smiled bashfully at the complement.

 _…They’re in a threesome relationship…?_ The three senpais realized, before smiling as they accepted _…they DO look awfully cute together…_

The romantic mood was interrupted however when Sonia walked up and grabbed his hands with her own, begging “Oh please, Naegi-kun, you must help! We’ll do anything, just please help us understand why Gundham is giving us the…cold shoulder!”

Mukuro loosened her grip and smiled warmly at Makoto, agreeing “She’s right, Makoto; you really are the best person to solve this kind of problem. If you could get the two of us to warm up to you, then I’m confident you can do the same for Gundham.”

Looking up to smile at his girlfriends, Makoto nodded “A…alright, alright, I’ll see what I can do. I’ll talk to Gundham.”

“Hurray! Thank you, Naegi-kun! We’re eternally in your debt!” Sonia cheered as she glomped him, ignoring Kazuichi’s objection and Mukuro’s tighter grip on her boyfriend.

“M…Miss Sonia?!”

With a little effort, Chiaki and Kazuichi managed to separate the Ultimate Princess from the younger Ultimate Lucky Student. Chiaki looked over to Makoto, Mukuro, and Kyoko with an apologetic expression.

“Sorry about that; she’s just been really emotional lately. Thanks again for helping us with this. Just e-mail my e-Handbook when you‘re ready to disclose your findings and we’ll meet with you both as a class.”

“R…right…” a still flustered Makoto nodded as the three senpais bid their farewells, disappearing back to their own dorms. Sighing at their antics, Makoto remarked “Guess I’d better make my way for Tanaka-senpai’s dorm. He’s probably holed himself up in there if he’s not talking to his classmates…so much for our date night…”

Kyoko smiled and kissed his lips softly, making him moan in pleasure and assuring him “There will be other date nights.” 

Mukuro released him from her grip and spun him around before taking her turn to kiss him on the lips, the two closing their eyes as they enjoyed the feeling of each other’s lips caressing the other.

Eventually she pulled away, a reluctant smile on her face as she urged “Now go, our senpais need you; best not keep them waiting.”

Makoto nodded, smiling as he bid Kyoko and Mukuro farewell and began walking in Chiaki, Sonia, and Kazuichi’s direction, determined to get to the bottom of Gundham’s feelings.

XXX

“And that’s what happened before he shut the door in my face…” Makoto told Kyoko, Mukuro, and the 77th Class as she hummed in musing.

“I see…so Gundham confessed that he felt betrayed by his traitorous comrades when Sonia pushed him into the water.” Kyoko ignored Sonia’s guilt-ridden sob as she continued “He then claimed that the sting of betrayal has stripped him of his dark powers and that he must go on a journey alone to recover it. Is that correct, Makoto?”

Makoto nodded “Y…yeah…honestly, I think he just feels embarrassed that everyone found out that he can’t swim and wants to be alone for a while.”

Sonia hung her head and sniffled “This is all my fault…if only I hadn’t pushed him in the water…none of this would be happening…”

“Miss Sonia…”

Ibuki patted Sonia on the back, urging “Hey, Sonia, don’t cry! It’s all Kazuichi’s fault anyway; he’s the one who suggested it!”

Mahiru scowled as she exclaimed “Ugh, you’re the worst, Kazuichi! You’re even worse than unreliable!”

“Hey, I didn’t mean to make him drown! How was I supposed to know…”

“Boy, even I know not to manipulate a girl’s feelings to pull a prank on your romantic rival!”

Everyone stared in shock at Teruteru, not expecting the class pervert that could even give Hifumi a run for his money to display such a fierce sense of morality. 

“Don’t give me that look, I have my moral moments!”

“Teruteru…”

Eventually his other classmates accepted this unseen side of Teruteru, glaring at Kazuichi who started to sweat in fear.

Eventually, Kazuichi sighed and clutched the top of his head, relenting “Okay, I’m sorry…so how do we fix this then?”

Everyone closed their eyes in concentration, stumped at how to get Gundham back to his normal, eccentric self that they valued as their classmate and friend.

“Hey Makoto, Mukuro, Kyoko, are you…” Everyone opened their eyes and turned to see Hina standing just inside the classroom, her head cocked in confusion as she asked “Ano…is something going on? Why are the two of you with our senpais?”

“Oh, Hina.” Makoto explained “We were just…”

“MUREKA!”

Everyone turned to Sonia, startled by her hopeful smile and sparkling eyes before Chiaki told her “It’s Eureka…I think…”

Sonia smiled apologetically at her Class Representative before explaining ”My apologies Chiaki, but I just had the most splendid idea for how to get Gundham back to normal!” Everyone immediately stared at her, extremely curious as she exclaimed “We can ask Asahina-san to teach Gundham how to swim!”

“Teach Gundham how to swim? Um…can someone fill me in?”

Makoto nodded and explained the situation to Hina, the Ultimate Swimming Pro recalling “Yeah, the pool’s not that deep where he fell, so he’d have to have problems swimming if he was to drown in water that shallow.”

Sonia winced in guilt before bowing to Hina and exclaiming “That’s why we need your help, Asahina-san! Please, you must teach Gundham how to swim so he won’t be embarrassed about it anymore and things can go back to normal!”

Hina hummed before replying “I know how you feel…before Makoto got together with Mukuro and Kyoko, I was totally insecure about my own romantic desirability. So I asked Makoto to pretend to be my boyfriend so I could get better by practice. It didn’t work out, but he did help me to feel more comfortable in my own skin and feel more confident in myself.”

“Hina…” Makoto blushed, somewhat embarrassed by the memory.

“Sometimes you need someone’s help in order to reach that gold medal! And if Tanaka-senpai won’t return to his normal self until he reaches that gold medal, then I’ll be happy to help him every step of the way!”

Sonia cried “Thank you, Asahina-san!” as he rother classmates cheered.

“Hey, Hey!” Chiaki ordered “Let’s go get Gundham and tell him the good news…I think.”

XXX

Gundham sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he looked at his other classmates, plus Makoto, Kyoko, Mukuro, and Hina who had as good as forced themselves into his private lair when he opened the door to greet Makoto.

“You’re wasting your time!” Gundham glared at them, reminding them “As I’m sure the Younger Lucky Fool told you, I’m on a journey to restore my dark powers that were stripped away by your betrayal. I don’t have time to go splashing around like an apprentice mage.”

Mukuro’s fists clenched, the Ultimate Soldier tense and angry at how Makoto was insulted. She calmed down however when Kyoko laid her hand on her shoulder.

“It’s okay, that’s not actually an insult. That’s just how Gundham talks.”

Mukuro nodded reluctantly, lossening up before Makoto asked while scratching his cheek “Ano…why am I the **Younger Lucky Fool**?”

Gundham sighed and explained “I simply don’t wish to confuse you with the **Older Lucky Fool**.”

Makoto and Mukuro looked at the Ultimate Breeder, baffled by his explanation until Kyoko deduced “He’s likely referring to Komaeda-senpai; he’s their Ultimate Lucky Student after all, just like you’re ours.”

Gundham scoffed as he continued “Anyways, my opinion will not change. There is not a single human on this earthly plane qualified enough to teach me.”

“SHOW SOME SPIRIT, GUNDHAM!” Gundham flinched at Nekomaru’s tone, who pointed at him and told him “Aoi Asahina is the best swimmer in all of Hope’s Peak, bar none! She’s already agreed to teach you, and she’s the perfect teacher for you!”

“I told you, I don’t…”

“Tanaka-kun…”

Gundham’s voice trailed off as he turned to see a suddenly timid Sonia, who sniffled “I know what I did was wrong, and I’m sorry for embarrassing you like I did and causing you to lose your powers. I want to fix this so we can welcome you back with open arms as our friend. But I…I don’t know how. So I…I’m hoping that if you can learn how to swim…then you’ll no longer feel embarrassed about it, and maybe your dark power will return.”

“Sonia…” her other classmates whispered, Gundham himself struck silent.

“So please Tanaka-kun, let Asahina-san teach you how to swim. She’ll be good for you…”

Gundham closed his eyes and thought, realizing that despite his feelings of being betrayed, he did miss spending time with them as his classmates and comrades. Sonia’s apologetic pleading, combined with the honorable use of his surname, caused him to hope…hope that her words were true and overcoming his aquatic weakness would allow him to regain his dark powers.

“I suppose…even the lowly humans of this plane can teach this Forbidden One a new craft…very well, beautiful mermaid, I will agree to let you instruct me in the ways of aquatic maneuvers.”

“YAY!” Everybody cheered, ecstatic that Gundham agreed to take his first step towards overcoming his embarrassment and rejoining their circle. 

Hina frowned, uneasy about being called a mermaid, but recalling Kyoko’s comment about that just being how he talked, decided to stomach it and force her smile.

“BUT!” Everyone flinched, startled as Gundham held up an authoritative finger and explained “I have a single condition. Nobody but the two of us and my Four Dark Devas of Destruction will be allowed to attend our lessons. After all…” Gundham pulled his scarf over his mouth, his cheeks blushing as he murmured “…I’d rather not have you bear witness to any repeats of last week…”

Hina smiled and nodded “That’s fair; some people learn better one-on-one than in front of an audience or in a group.” Noting the four Devas on his shoulders, Hina remarked “I’ve never taught hamsters…”

“…What did you call my four Dark Devas of Destruction? I didn’t quite hear you!”

Getting the sense from his evil eye that he was very sensitive about his hamsters, Hina backtracked “Sorry, I’ve never taught **Devas** how to swim before, but I’ll do my best.” Seeing Gundham relax and nod, Hina cheered “Excellent! Then we’ll meet Monday through Friday after class in the pool for an hour.”

Kyoko nodded “I’ll have my Father pull some strings to reserve the pool for the two of you during your agreed upon time.”

Hina grinned and replied “Thanks, Kyoko; you’re the best!” Seeing Kyoko smile in return, she turned her attention back to her new student and, with a determined gleam in her eye, challenged “You’d better bring you’re A-game to my lessons, Tanaka-kun! I won’t let you slack off. By the time we’re done, you’ll have reached your gold medal!”

Gundham blinked, impressed by her determined spirit, before smirking and commenting “Intriguing; this beautiful mermaid intends to test my powers. Very well, beauteous mermaid, I won’t hold back during your lessons. In fact, I shall overcome your prowess in a heartbeat! Hahaha!”

Hina grinned back, fired up by the challenge. Everyone else sweatdropped, then smiled at the Ultimate Breeder, happy that even if it was just for this moment, their eccentric friend had returned to them.

 _…Maybe having Asahina-san teach him wasn’t my brightest idea…still, it’s not like I had any better ones for how to get Gundham back._ Sonia frowned as she prayed _Oh please, let this plan work! We need Gundham back!_


	2. The Ultimate Breeder’s First Swimming Lesson!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gundham goes to the pool for his first swimming lesson with Hina. Will things go smoothly, or will the two butt heads?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, sorry it's been so long, but I've had plenty of other writing projects. So, here's the next chapter in this Gundham/Hina commission. Please read and comment below, and enjoy!

*Ding Dong Bing Bong*

“Alright, class dismissed!” Chisa announced, watching her class file out until a lone student remained, his arms crossed over his chest as his eyes closed.

“Hm? Gundham, is everything okay?” Chisa asked as she approached, concerned and curious as to why he was still closed off after the group intervention her class held with Makoto, Kyoko, and Mukuro’s help. _I’m ashamed that I wasn’t there to help during the pool incident, so to make it up to him, I’m going to work twice as hard to help Gundham as a student!_ Chisa vowed as Gundham opened his red eye.

“…What is it, Yukizome-sensei?” He finally inquired.

“Well…I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but class has been dismissed…”

Sighing, Gundham turned his head, averting his gaze as he huffed “I can leave when I wish to leave…I’m just…hesitant…”

Concerned, Chisa cocked her head in confusion asshe asked “Huh? But why, Gundham…?”

“Hey Hey!”

Gundham opened his eyes as they both turned to see Chiaki sifting through her desk, Chisa asking “Oh, Chiaki! What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I just forgot my Game Boy Advance.” Chiaki explained, holding up a purple, portable game system. “Hajime and I are gonna meet at the fountain and…” Chiaki trailed off, cocking her head in confusion as she asked “Hey, Gundham, why are you still in class? Isn’t it time for you to go meet Asahina-chan at the pool?”

Chisa’s eyebrows raised as she asked “…The pool?”

“Oh, that’s right; you weren’t there during the intervention.” Chiaki explained “Gundham agreed to take swimming lessons with Aoi Asahina from the 78th Class, since she’s the Ultimate Swimming Pro.”

A vein pulsed in Gundham’s forehead, annoyed that she dropped that information so casually.

 _I…I see…I must be an even worse teacher than I thought, to not know something as important as this. Well, no use in regretting the past; time for me to roll with it and be Gundham’s encouragement!_ Chisa smiled as she nodded “Well, in that case, you should get going. Chop chop, don’t want to be late for your lesson, now do you? Plus, bonding with one of your underclassmen will help you grow as a person as well as your skillset!”

As Gundham pouted in embarrassment, Chiaki chimed in “She’s right…besides, Asahina-chan will help to raise your skill level, and you may even gain a new form and get even more powerful…I think…”

His pout fading into a neutral, contemplative expression, Gundham closed his eyes and pondered their words for a minute before opening his eyes and bursting into laughter.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! Correct, foolish mortals! Your words ring true, as this new training will allow me to cultivate a brand new skill that will make me an even more feared Overlord than I was before!”

Chisa smiled, glad that Gundham was back to normal as she urged him “Well, best not to keep your new teacher waiting.”

Chiaki nodded in approval as Gundham stood up, his hamsters heads peeking out of his scarf as he told his teacher and classmate “Farewell Chiaki, Yukizome-sensei.”

As he approached the door with a confident smirk, he slid it open, only for his smirk to fall into a neutral frown as he came face-to-face with Sonia Nevermind. His disappointed and saddened grey and red eyes stared into her concerned and guilty blue ones. Chisa and Chiaki watched the pair with concern, both ready to intervene should things take a turn for the worse.

Fortunately, their intervention wasn’t necessary, as Sonia faked a smile as she told him “…Tanaka-san, please do your best.”

Gundham grunted in acknowledgment, still upset with the Ultimate Princess but also recalling that they shared a somewhat special friendship. They brushed shoulders as Gundham walked past her, the pain in his soul making her skin shiver as she watched him disappear.

_…Tanaka-san…I hope that you can forgive me for my foolishness one day…and that we can be friends again…_

A startled Sonia felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn her head to see Chisa’s smiling face, soothing the Ultimate Princess’s uneasy soul as she advised “…Just give him time, Sonia; he’ll open up to you again when he’s ready.”

Sonia gave a soft smile as she hoped _I hope you’re right. Well, you’ve never steered us wrong before, so I’ll believe in you, Yukizome-sensei!_

XXX

Grey and red eyes stared defiantly at the large, tiled swimming pool in Hope’s Peak Academy as their owner stood near the edge, dressed in a simple pair of red swim trunks and a purple scarf. Gundham clenched his fist as his lips stretched into a smirk of false bravado.

“Haha! Prepare yourself, Kraken, as your domain will soon be bent to my will like the ice that runs though my veins! HAHAHAHAHA!”

*Clap*

Startled out of his monologue, Gundham turned his head to see Hina smiling cheerfully at him, applauding the Ultimate Breeder.

“That’s the attitude I like to hear, Tanaka-senpai! I love it when I see people so determined to reach that gold medal!” Gundham blushed in embarrassment and obscured his face with his scarf, causing Hina to frown and cock her head in confusion before she realized _Oh, he must still be embarrassed about needing swimming lessons. Alright, as his teacher, it’s my job to make sure he doesn’t feel embarrassed anymore!_

Hina’s determined stare changed to a happy smile as she walked up to Gundham, placing her hand on his shoulder and causing him to let out a startled gasp before his eyes met her own.

“Hey, no need to be embarrassed, Tanaka-senpai! Everyone learns to swim at some point. Besides, Kirigiri-chan pulled some strings with the Headmaster, so we’ll be undisturbed until dinnertime!”

“I…I see…” Gundham muttered, Hina’s assurances allowing him to lower his scarf, before respectfully bowing as he finished “…You have my appreciations, Sensei.”

“S…Sensei…?” Hina parroted, her cheeks painted rose from embarrassment. _…Nobody’s ever called me **Sensei** before…not even Yuta!_

Shaking the thought out of her head, she tapped Gundham’s arm, causing his eyes to widen as he stared at Hina’s hand, panicking _Wh…what are you doing, you foolish Mermaid?! Don’t you realize you’ve just allowed my dark aura to poison you?! Now your hand is going to…eva…porate…_

Gundham stared incredulously at her hand, causing Hina to stare at her new student with a confused expression. The mutual awkward staring continued for a minute until Hina retracted her hand, coughing into her fist.

“So…are you…ready to get started…?”

Hina’s words went in one ear and out the other, as Gundham was still staring at her hand with a bewildered expression, wondering _She touched my arm, yet the flesh isn’t melting off her bones…could it be…this Mermaid is so pure that she nullifies my dark aura?_

“Helloooooo? Earth to Gundham?”

As Hina waved a hand in front of his face, Gundham finally snapped to attention, grinning as he laughed “Haha! Fear not, young Mermaid, for now we know that my poisonous, dark aura cannot possibly harm you!”

Hina sweatdropped as she decided _…Guess this is just his weird way of saying that he’s ready to swim…_ The Ultimate Swimming Pro smiled, pumping her fists with a determined fire in her eyes as she cheered “Okay, then let’s get this show on the road!”

Gundham’s eyes widened in shock as she immediately tugged her shorts down to her ankles, kicking them off to reveal a pair of ocean-blue panties.

_Wha…what the…could it be this Mermaid isn’t as pure as I thought?! Is she secretly a siren taking the guise of a normal high school mortal?!_

Images of a naked Hina flashed through his mind before he shook them away, reminding himself _Control yourself, Tanaka! You are the Overlord of Ice; no siren can possibly hope to stand up to your power! Now conquer this maiden just like…oh…_

Gundham blinked as he saw Hina remove her jacket, revealing a similarly blue top once she had dropped her jacket next to her shorts.

_Oh…that was just the bottom of her swimsuit, not her undergarments…I…feel ashamed for doubting her purity…_

As Hina gathered her clothes into her arms, she looked up at a guilty, blushing Gundham, causing her to frown in concern and ask “Um…Tanaka-senpai…are you okay?”

“O…oh…I just…didn’t realize…that you had your swimgear…under your clothes…” Gundham squeaked, barely resisting the urge to hide under his scarf.

Hina blinked, processing Gundham’s progressively quiet explanation before she finally connected the dots, blushing as she chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her head.

“Sorry about that; I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’m just used to changing like that by now. See, I always get so excited to be in a swimming pool, and when I was younger I decided that just wearing one under my clothes would save the time I would waste trying to find a bathroom to change in. That way I could dive into the water without much delay.”

Hina’s expression gradually morphed into one of determination as Gundham nodded in comprehension. She then turned around and bent over, untying her shoes as she accidentally gave Gundham a view of her rear, the boy admiring how the fabric stretched tautly over her plush bottom.

 _What the…this Mermaid’s beauty…I…I’ve never seen something to…plush and soft-looking…_ Gundham blushed as he shook the thought from his head, turning around to give her some privacy, admonishing himself _Get a grip, Gundham! You’re not some low-level demon like Hanamura; you’re Tanaka the Forbidden One!_

“Um…are you ready, Tanaka-kun?”

Hearing Hina’s voice made his blush redden, the Ultimate Breeder looking down at the bulge in his swim trunks as he berated _Curse these demons that interfered with my lesson!_ Swallowing his grumbles, Gundham approached the shallow end of the pool, gripping the railing with his bandaged hand as he steeled himself.

_Perhaps I can draw from the might of the Kraken in his domain to expel these demons from my body…_

As he was about to lift a foot into the first step of the pool, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He turned his head to see Hina smiling at him as she explained “It’s great that you want to jump for the gold medal right away, but in this case, it’s still too big of a step to jump into the pool right away.”

Gundham raised an eyebrow as he admitted “…You confuse me, young Mermaid. How will I learn to navigate the treacherous waters when I can’t even set foot in the Kraken’s domain?”

Rolling her eyes at Gundham’s metaphors, she explained “Listen, before you can learn to swim, you need to learn how to float.”

Before a confused Gundham could ask what she meant, Hina ran off with a determined smile to the storage closet. A faint racket reached Gundham’s ears before Hina came back out, dragging a rubber inflatable pool, filled halfway with water.

“Ja Jan!” Hina exclaimed, beaming proudly as she explained “I set this up earlier today to help you learn to be one with the water and float! Pretty cool, right?!”

Gundham sweatdropped, staring at the pool with a disappointed stare as he thought _…You’ve got to be kidding! This cartoonish device is an insult to the Overlord of Ice!_ Imagining everyone laughing at the sight of him in the miniature pool, Gundham crossed his arms in an embarrassed pout before looking up at Hina and stating “…This is humiliating and demeaning. I refuse to cooperate.”

 _…I should have expected this…_ Hina sighed and tried to appease her new student “…Look, I know this probably isn’t what you expected when you agreed to swimming lessons, but you really do need to get used to floating or you’ll sink like a rock in the pool. Do you want a repeat of the drowning incident?”

Gundham closed his eyes, feeling the truth of her words make the tiniest cracks in his defiance as he flashed back to the day he nearly left the mortal plane.

Unfortunately, even Hina’s Truth Bullet was unable to shatter his defenses completely as he shook his head, opening his eyes as he refused “The Overlord of Ice shouldn’t have to lower himself to such a ridiculous method.”

Hina sighed in exasperation, pinching the bridge of her nose before she pleaded with him “…Tanaka-senpai…I’m trying my best to teach you the basics before we move on to the fun stuff, so **please** …just bear it and get in the pool.”

“A mere Mermaid cannot command Tanaka the Forbidden One.”

“You’re just being stubborn, Tanaka, now get in the water!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

This back and forth continued for another few minutes, both of their eyes narrowing in determination as their owners refused to cede ground to the other.

“YES!”

“NO!”

Finally, Hina threw her arms in the air and turned around, telling him “Whatever! I tried to help you, Tanaka, I REALLY TRIED! But even if everyone in both our classes asks, I can’t make you learn how to swim if you’re not willing to put in the work. I’m leaving.”

*Crack*

Gundham felt the ice around his heart shatter, allowing the guilt to flow in through the cracks while some of his stubbornness leaked out.

_…The young Mermaid is right…I’m just being stubborn…just as childish as the ones this contraption is meant for. What does that make me…? …Less than a child, no less significant that a lowly ant waiting to be stepped on. I agreed to let her assist me in conquering the Kraken’s Domain, and she worked in earnest to follow through…as the Overlord of Ice, I need to keep my word as well._

Hina stopped in her tracks as she heard a sigh behind her. Turning around, she saw Gundham reluctantly step into the inflatable pool, a look of humility on his face as he reluctantly asked “…Sensei…what do I do now?”

Hina smiled, forgetting all about their argument as she walked back to the pool, instructing “Alright, the next thing you’re gonna do is lie down on your back in the water and relax.”

Gundham obeyed without complaint, closing his eyes and resting his palms against his chest as he allowed the tranquility of the water to lull him into a peaceful state of mind, the room completely silent.

After ten minutes had passed, Hina sked “Well…how do you feel?”

Gundham bit his lip, trying to put his feelings into words before he answered truthfully “…Weightless, like I’m gliding through the domain of Tiamat.”

Hina smiled as she replied “I’m not sure if I completely get it, but I think I understand the gist of what you’re saying. I always feel weightless too whenever I enter the water.”

Nodding, Gundham chuckled darkly as he mused “I see…perhaps if I can master the secret of this weightlessness, then I can raise my dark powers exponentially and become an even more dangerous Overlord of Ice than I was before!”

Amused, Hina smiled and asked “So…these **dark powers** …are they gonna help you with aquatic life? I’d imagine since you’re the Ultimate Breeder, you’d be interested in life under the sea.”

Gundham bit his lip, pondering _Hm…I’ve…never considered…the life within Kraken’s domain…I’ve been mostly concerned with the minions who serve Lich and Marilith and Tiamat, but if I can tame the beasts who serve the mighty Kraken…then I could truly call myself the Ultimate Breeder!_

More silence passed as Gundham continued to ponder Hina’s question, until finally Hina asked after another 10 minutes “Alright, why don’t you open your eyes for me?” Gundham’s eyes fluttered open, seeing Hina’s smiling face look down at him as she instructed “Okay, so I just want you to do one more thing before we call it a day. Can you turn around so you’re resting on your stomach?”

Gundham nodded before rolling over, , making sure to keep his face above water as he asked “So what must I do, Sensei?”

“First, give me your hands.” Once Gundham had grasped her outstretched hands with his own, she continued “Alright, I want to see how well you can kick in the water, so on the count of three, I want you to kick as hard as you can. Alright?”

Gundham nodded, his eyes narrowing in determination as he focused his dark aura into his legs as he confirmed “…I’m ready, Sensei.”

“Alright then! One…Two…THREE!”

*SPLASH!*

“Agh!”

“Aaaahhhhhhhh!”

Gundham groaned as his vision came into focus, feeling his entire backside soaked with water as he saw nothing but an ocean of blue.

“…What in the nine hells happened?” Gundham muttered.

His eyes widened in shocked realization as he heard a feminine voice chuckle “Heh heh…not a bad kick. With a little training…you could be a serious contender for the Olympics…”

Gundham immediately scrambled backwards, sitting on his behind and looking up at Hina, who was blushing as deeply as he was, a bashful smile on her face.

 _…I…I was…her breasts…her sacred temple…I violated forbidden ground! I have defiled and offended this pure hearted Mermaid!_ Gundham immediately wrapped his scarf around his face, retreating into his shell as he stuttered “A…apo…apo…apolo…”

*Splash*

“Huh?” They both exclaimed, Gundham dropping his scarf as they turned to face the pool, which miraculously had flipped a full 360 degrees and still had a respectable amount of water in it.

Their eyes widened as they saw Gundham’s hamsters taking turns doing cannonballs in the inflatable pool.

“Aww! That’s the cutest thing ever! I’ve never seen hamsters do cannonballs before!” Gundham blinked in confusion as she crawled up to the edge of the pool, clapping her hands as she cheered “Do it again!”

The embarrassment of the situation forgotten in the wake of Hina’s childlike glee, Gundham smiled as he corrected “Remember, young Mermaid, there are no mere house rodents…”

“Oh right, you called them Devas before…” Hina chuckled, rubbing the back of her head nervously as she apologized “…Sorry, I forgot…”

Shakign his head, Gundham assured her “I can forgive a slip-up this once…” He smiled gratefully at his instructor as he continued “You have my gratitude, Sensei. Thanks to you, a new domain has been opened for me to conquer.”

Hina’s heart warmed as she beamed, nodding “Ah, it was no trouble. I’m just glad I got to share my joy of swimming with one of my upperclassmen!” Standing up, Hina announced “Alright, I think that’s good for today, so we’ll meet up here at the same time for the next lesson.”

“HAHAHAHAHA! Fear not, young Mermaid, for not even Tiamat himself could stop me from continuing to conquer Kraken’s domain with your assistance!”

Hina’s eyes narrowed in determination, grinning as she replied “I’m glad to hear that! Your excitement is gonna be key to making sure we reach the gold, so we’ve gotta both work hard, okay?”

Both let out a joyful laugh before Hina walked over to get her clothes, wrapping a towel around her waist and securing it with one hand while her other arm secured her clothes at her side.

“Okay, I’m gonna head back to my dorm, but I’ll be looking forward to your next lesson tomorrow!”

Gundham watched as Hina left through the doors, nodding once she had left “…Me as well, young Mermaid.” His Devas then jumped into his palms as he admitted “San-D, Jum-P, Maga-Z, Cham-P…you’re looking forward to it too, aren’t you? Our next lesson with the Mermaid on our journey to conquer Kraken’s Domain.”


End file.
